Hip > Bursitis > Treatments

   Steroidal Injection

Home Recovery

If physical therapy, rest, icing, and pain relievers do not reduce the symptoms of greater trochanteric bursitis, your physician may suggest an injection of a cortisone–type medication directly into your hip. This option should be considered if your symptoms persist for more than a week and a half. The injections are normally administered two or three times, at two– to three–week intervals. Your first follow–up visit usually will be two to four weeks after the final injection. There usually are no side effects such as pain or swelling after receiving an injection of corticosteroid, and you will not need to immobilize your hip. However, with any steroid injection there is the risk of infection. Although steroid injections reduce inflammation, they also reduce the body's response to fight infection and predispose the injection site. In rare cases, local atrophy of the skin, represented by redness, dimpling, and pain, may result. You probably will be able to resume rehab exercises within a few days of the treatment.

The focus of rehabilitation is to restore normal hip function, and if you are overweight, to lose excess weight. Depending on the degree of disability caused by your hip bursitis, your physician may refer you to a physical therapist, who can provide you with the following:

   An evaluation of your joint's range of motion and muscle strength.

   Specific exercises to increase range of motion, strength, endurance, and coordination. Typical hip strengthening exercising involves leg exercises while sitting or lying down that do not involve bending the hip or taking steps with extra weight on your arms or torso.

   An evaluation of your mobility and gait.

Runners and walkers can help prevent hip bursitis by making sure to run on flat, as opposed to uneven, surfaces. Heel lifts or orthotics can correct a leg–length discrepancy that may contribute to bursitis. Another way to help prevent hip injuries is to learn to avoid putting stress on your hip during daily activities. Try to take it easy on your hips during the day whenever possible to save them for activities and exercise. Avoid stairs when there is an elevator, take the shortest path when walking, and consider wearing athletic shoes designed to absorb shock. There is no substitute for conditioning. It is essential to adhere to the muscle strengthening program you learned in rehabilitation. The best strengthening programs are low–impact and non–weight bearing, like stationary bikes and certain weightlifting programs, so that your hips do not have to absorb shock. Proper stretching before and after exercising is essential. If you play sports, you can reduce your risk of direct trauma to your hips by using the proper equipment. In high–risk sports like football or hockey, this means girdle–type pads that protect the hip and abdomen areas. Physicians often recommend calcium supplements to help strengthen bones, particularly for post–menopausal women.